The Evolution Of Destination Weddings

The days where couples would head to their local church, get married, and return to a village hall or someones house for a reception with homemade food seem to be a thing of the past.

Couples are now heading to exotic location such as the Caribbean, Hawaii or the Seychelles, as destination weddings become the latest trend.

Hundreds of companies are benefitting from the surge in bookings for weddings abroad, including travel agents, wedding planners, cruise lines and hotels and resorts.

Gary Sadler, the Vice-President of Sales for Unique Vacations, the worldwide representative of Sandals Resorts, explained: Personalisation and absolute flexibility is what couples want now; no cookie-cutter weddings.

He added that the destination wedding industry has evolved over the years and couples are expecting more on their special day.
If we offered weddings the way we did 30 years ago, wed be out of business, he said. When I started working at Sandals Ocho Rios in 1990, the bride and groom would get flowers, champagne and have their own homemade videos. That was the end of it.

Today, Sandals weddings include a wedding planner, a wedding butler, a two-tiered wedding cake, a professional photographer and videographer, flowers brought in from the area, champagne and hors doeuvres, the resort venue itself plus other features all of it personalised for each couple at each resort.

Sandals Resorts operates Caribbean resorts in St Lucia, Jamaica, Antigua and the Bahamas and the luxury all-inclusive properties are a favourite for romantic Caribbean weddings and honeymoons.

Cruise weddings are becoming increasingly popular and over the last ten years, cruise lines have developed marketing strategies to entice couples to book weddings at sea.

According to Mintel, a UK market research company, Carnival now carries out approximately 2,400 destination weddings a year; Royal Caribbean hosts 800 ceremonies and Norwegian Cruise Lines holds 300. The British company, Cunard, recently registered its ships in Bermuda so it could offer overseas weddings onboard its three ships and couples will be able to get married abroad on Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth or Queen Victoria from April, 2012.

A recent Mintel survey reveals that people aged between 25 and 44 years are likely to have chosen a wedding abroad over a traditional ceremony at home. And many 18 – 34-year-olds would choose nuptials in exotic foreign wedding destinations when the time comes to get married.

Overseas nuptials are also becoming increasingly popular among the older brides and grooms and those who are getting married for a second time. These couples often look for a quieter and more intimate event.

Sandos Takes Over Le Meridien Cancun With New Sandos Cancun Luxury Experience Resort

Starting 1st March 2012, Le Meridien Cancun Resort & Spa will be transformed into the new Sandos Cancun Luxury Experience Resort, as the Sandos brand takes over the hotel property to add yet another gem to their luxury collection of Cancun hotels and resort.

The former Le Meridien Cancun Resort & Spa has been owned and operated by Sandos Hotels & Resorts since 2010 and ever since then it has been upgraded and adapted to be ready to offer the Total Gourmet Experience – a High End All Inclusive Programme by Sandos to all its guests.

In conjunction with the new deluxe all inclusive programme, Sandos has fully renovated the resort’s Lobby Bar, which opened this past December 2011. By March 1st 2012, when the hotel’s full name change takes effect and the re-branding process is completed, the hotel will have added two brand new restaurants to delight the palates of guests with luxury culinary creations and a superior gourmet experience.

These changes will have a positive impact on all stays and as such the resort will be providing a special price to upgrade from European Plan (room only) to Total Gourmet Experience (AI) for those guests who already booked their Cancun holidays at the resort under the former European Plan for dates from March 1st 2012 onwards.

As stated by Mr. Alan Duggan in his recent communication, both companies, Starwood Hotels & Resorts (former owners of Le Meridien Cancun) and Sandos Hotels & Resorts, are fully committed to the smooth transfer of brands and the satisfaction of their guests for better and enhanced luxury experiences during Cancun holidays at the new Sandos Cancun.

Before the takeover, Le Meridien Cancun Resort & Spa was already a highly successful and acclaimed luxury resort with a Four Diamond restaurant and a distinctly glamorous French touch. Offering the best of Mexican hospitality perfectly complemented by timeless elegance with the finest European-style spa in Cancun, Le Meridien Cancun already had a reputation as one of the top Latin American resorts, as judged by Conde Nast Travellers’ Reader’s Choice Poll. The new takeover by Sandos will only add to the property’s prestige, with renovated interiors, upgraded rooms and a new set of lavish facilities for truly luxurious holiday experiences in Cancun.

Affordable Resorts In The Maldives

Many people think going on holiday in the Maldives is only for the wealthy, but in fact, there are many excellent places to stay for us budget travelers. The Maldives’ island chain is located about 700 kilometers south-west of Sri Lanka and is comprised of 90,000 square kilometers with 1,192 coral islets, and it is among the most diverse and sparsely populated regions on earth.

Because of the fact that it is surrounded by pure white beaches and azure sea; no matter which way you turn, the scenic beauty is abundant in every direction. Add to this the fact, that the Maldives is a tropical nation with temperatures ranging between 24 C and 33 C, all year round. Now add to this the fact that you can also find excellent budget-priced accommodation, which makes the Maldives the best choice for your holiday destination.

Where you stay in this magnificent island chain is completely dependent upon your personal interests; but, either way, there are literally hundreds of high quality resorts and hotels within everyone’s price-range. If city life is your thing, there are a great many economy hotels in Mal, all conveniently located near the National Museum, Theaters, Bazaars, parks and the like.

Why not try the Holiday Inn Inn Kandooma Fushi in Mal, and go diving in the nearby Indian Ocean? Total price is only ca. $227.00 per night.

For those wanting to get away from it all, the Velidhu Island Resort on the northern Ari Atoll offers air-conditioned rooms, beach front and over-water bungalows, and can be had starting at only $192.00 per night.

Another great option for budget visitors is Hostels with prices sure to please. The Cokes Surf Camp located on the North Mal atoll on Thuludhoo Island includes breakfast and linen for the low price of $85.00; it’s equipped with air-conditioning, TV and fan.

For something totally different, why not check in at the Floating Hostel Princess Aifa, also located on Thuludhoo Island which is right near the main hub of the surfing action. This hostel features air-conditioning, internet, guest kitchen, restaurant and bar.

Enjoy An Erotic Weekend At The Hidden Beach Resorts

Nowadays, naturalist resorts have caught the fancy of people from all over the globe. Hence, the hidden beach resorts have emerged as a popular naturalist destination that provides you the liberty to spend a nude vacation with your loved ones. The resorts are located near the magical Cancun beaches that are surrounded by never ending sea sides and blue sky. Just imagine spending some memorable moments with your sweetheart on the secluded Cancun beaches.

The hidden beach resorts provide you with spacious and well furnished suites with king size beds, mini bar, a Jacuzzi tub and walk in showers. Moreover, the ground floor suites have personal swimming pools where you can spend some Au Naturel moments with your sweethearts or you can arrange a pool party for your naturalist friends. The resort has some amazing restaurants which provide you with delicious delicacies that will add on to your vacation. You can enjoy these meals in your private cabin or near the beautiful sand covered beaches.

The resort is located near an amazing location where you can unwind and enjoy freedom from daily work pressures. You can also indulge in adventure sports activities like volleyball, tennis, snorkeling, scuba-diving, fish feeding, kayaking etc. You can also indulge in a sunbath or a beach massage and relax your body muscles. Moreover, the night life at these naturalist resorts is highly entertaining and erotic. You can also enjoy some great music near the poolside, while sipping your favorite drink.

However, the rates of the hidden beach resorts may vary with the time of year and duration of stay. You can also book the whole resort to organize a party or family get together for your loved ones. So, just log on to an Online travel portal and book your tickets for an erotic nude vacation at the beautiful Cancun beaches.

Punta Cana’s Fabulous All Inclusive Resorts

After a busy day of pleasure in the amazing beach resort, night falls and its captivating party scenes and fun does its job and starts the journey in a varied place such as Bavaro. Just about each all inclusive resort hostels have clubs, bars with good music, and all of the conveniences you are able to imagine. It is also feasible to leave the hotel and explore the area, that might be the best advice to resume hearing and enjoying the marvels of Bavaro. The most well-liked party places are : Tropicana, Pacha, Mangu, Areito, La Punta and Palladium Bavaro. The hostels also offers transfers to the same, at an affordable cost, the town also has taxis and transport.

– Night Club Tropicana is among the most well liked clubs and is built inside a natural cavern with a selection of fire and light shows, shows that you’re going to always remember. r.

– Disco Mangu is another one of the most famed of the town and is found in the Bavaro area. It has 2 dance floors blasting salsa, reggeton, merengue, techno, a torrent of gorgeous girls and a good atmosphere. As you like Bavaro you can also enjoy fine dining in the environment of your resort. Pretty much all hostels in Bavaro have glorious and sundry eateries offering a spread of dishes for all tastes, which mixes the cuisine of Dominican Republic with world. Calm summers in Punta Cana occur between June and Aug. But the once a year elevated temperatures are reasonably unceasing at between twenty-seven and 31 degree Celsius all the year round! So, even winter time in Punta Cana is a perfect time to absorb the sun and relax on the inviting shores.

This pleasant weather and continuing sun makes this an extremely fascinating destination for those intending to swap dull winters at work with hot, bright days on the white sands of South America. Due to the shocking beaches available, watersports are abundant in Punta Cana and visitors from across the world are counseled to take part in exciting pastimes like snorkelling, waterskiing, jet-skiing and underwater diving during their stay.

The nightlife of Punta Cana has, for a long while attracted the young generation to this party capital. Hostels discos and clubs are liberally splattered all though this city and do not offer deficit of entertainment – from lazy cocktails to onstage music and top DJ’s. Other visitor attractions include : Manati Park ( a fun filled water park which will pleasure each members of the family ) Piazza Bolera Punta Cana ( a mall and bowling alley in one ) Quay Palma Real ( a wonderful shopping centre in Bavaro ) Saona Island ( the best point from which to SCUBA dive and see the variety f life underneath the outer layer of the sea ) it’s very important that anybody planning to pay Punta Cana a visit remember that June to Nov are the hurricane months. This suggests better costs, but also that care must be taken, particularly if you’re counting on brining your folks. The Punta Cana airfield Shared Roundtrip Transfers permit the visitors to South America to go between the airfield of Punta Cana and their hotel in the Dominican Republic. This transfer system is a round trip and is available each day of the week, for twenty four hours per day.

This guarantees the final safety and convenience to the travellers and neighbors of Punta Cana. This service is available to 2 areas ; i.e. Bavaro, Punta Cana and Uvero Alto. On organising these transfers, it is critical that that we are informed of your flight and accommodation details. Travel vouchers are issued straight away, and these are then used to redeem transfers to and from the airfield. Punta Cana is undeniably one of the most desired beachfront resort destinations in the world.

As visitors absorb the sun on wonderful beaches, take a dip in refreshing, turquoise waters and finish off a warm day under the warm, South American sky, it is straightforward to grasp why such exotic locales lure visitors from every area of the word.

Belinda Krusor writes about Travel and Finance

punta cana weather

Belinda Krusor writes about Travel and Finance.